Facing fears
by JXeleven
Summary: Jack and the other guardians are having a 'family' day, but what happens when Jack is forced to do something he doesn't want to do. To do what he fears the most. The fear of water. No pairings. Rated T to be safe. One-shot.


_**A/N: Hello everyone! So a one shot about Rise of the guardians. The story popped up in my head and I just wanted to write it. I will not say very much about the chapter, only that I hope everyone will enjoy and please tell me what you thought about it, both the good and the bad. **_

xxx

How did it come so far?

That was the thought that spread through Jack's mind as he stared at the other guardians. It had been two and a half years since he and the others defeated Pitch and everything seemed to be peaceful as more and more children started to believe in them.

But that wasn't the problem... the problem was what was happening now.

Tooth always pushed them to do things together like a family, a rather strange family, but still a family. They once went to North's workshop to make toys, another time they went camping and last winter he taught all of them ice skating... but this summer... this summer Tooth suggested to do something else.

The winter spirit let out a deep sigh as he glanced from his friends to himself... they had decided to go swimming... and he would never admit it, but he was actually scared of water.

And it felt so stupid since he was the spirit of cold and ice, the frozen liquid, but still... still he was afraid of water. He had been since he first became Jack Frost, he may not have had his memories back then, but his heart still told him to fear it and as he recovered his memories he understood why he feared it, but that didn't make it easier, it only made it worse

He remembered his sister, his family and all the joy he had encountered in his human life, but... but at the same time he remembered the pain he felt when he drowned, the fear as his lungs screamed for air, as his lungs filled themselves with water, as he choked on the cold water. How his eyes darkened as he stared up at his screaming sister and the pain he saw on her face, the knowledge that she would never see him again... Jack had never been sure if he ever really had died or if MIM had pulled him back just in time. Still he would never forget the pain, he could never forget.

His knees were pulled to his chest as he rested in the shadow of a large tree and he watched the others in the water. Tooth flew over the lake as she let her hands brush the water. Sandy was building a sandcastle and both Bunny and North were racing each other as they swam from shore to shore.

He stared at them for another couple of minutes before the tooth fairy flew towards him, hovering in front of him as she looked at him with confusion. 'Why don't you join us?'

The frost spirit looked her in the eye, he couldn't tell her the truth... he had to be strong. '... It's too hot.' It wasn't a complete lie as the sun shined high above their heads.

'But the water is really cool. You will probably feel better in the water.'

'Uhh...' Jack wasn't able to answer her.

At the same moment Bunny walked onto the shore, his wet fur clinging to his body and he was soon followed by North, who mumbled something about the Easter Bunny cheating.

'Oh, come on Frostbite!' Bunny said as he had apparently heard their conversation. In response Jack shook his head, he wasn't able to look the Pooka in the eyes. He couldn't show Bunnymund his weakness, he wouldn't give him an opportunity to belittle him again.

But Bunny had other ideas as he wrapped his big paws around the frost spirit's waist and he pulled the boy over his shoulder. Jack yelled in shock before he started to struggle, but Bunny was stronger than him. His eyes grew wide with fear as he saw how the bunny walked into the water, the cold liquid soon reached the height of Bunnymund's navel.

_'No... no, no, no, no, no!'_ His mind screamed and those words soon reached his voice. 'No!'

But the Easter Bunny didn't listen and just laughed. Somewhere behind them he heard North's deep voice. 'Bunny, if he doesn't want to then-.'

'A little bit of water doesn't hurt.' Bunny answered back before he took Jack off his shoulder and without another look he tossed the boy in the deep water. He went head first down and immediately as his body touched the water he went into panic mode. He started to kick and his lungs longed so desperately for the rich air he couldn't find under water. Old memories spread through his mind and those painful memories caused him to panic even further. He didn't want to die, not again... he didn't want to lose the warmth of his family again!

After what seemed like an eternity he felt two big arms grab his shoulders. The touch... touch, he wasn't alone...

He was pulled out of the water and he quickly gasped for the air, coughing up the water he had accidently breathed in. 'Jack!' It was North's voice, but he didn't care, not at this moment at least, he just wanted to breathe.

The winter spirit was pulled to North's chest as the Russian man walked with him out of the water before sitting on the sandy shore. Jack clung himself to North's chest, desperately searching for that familiar warmth and he barely felt the big tears streaming over his cheeks.

He slowly opened his eyes and stared into Tooth's kind eyes, she looked worriedly at him as her hand brushed his cheek. 'Jack... Are you okay?' He didn't answer and only tightened his grip on North. He knew he shouldn't show his weakness like this, but... but he didn't care, he just didn't want to be alone like he had been three hundred years ago. Tooth's eyes shifted to Bunny who still stood nervously in the water. 'What have you done!' She hissed at him.

Bunny's eyes widened slightly as he looked from her to Jack and he said with a small voice. 'I didn't know he couldn't swim.'

'I can swim.' His voice sounded rough.

'Then why did you panic like that?'

Jack just kept silent and he saw in the corner's of his eye that Sandy was signing something. 'Hmm...' He could feel the vibrations as North began to speak. 'Maybe Sandy's right.' He pushed Jack slightly away so he could look the white haired boy in the eyes. 'Are you afraid of water? Did something happen?'

The frost spirit slowly shook his head, he couldn't tell them, but even when he did this he couldn't stop the tears that fell from his eyes and the shaking that started in his shoulders. How close they were to finding out, how close...

The others looked concerned at each other and now Bunnymund came closer, eying the younger guardian with a mix of concern and guilt. 'You can tell us, you know.'

'I'm not weak, kangaroo!'

Bunny growled slightly at the insult, but didn't speak back. He heard North let out a sigh before the large man asked. 'Why are you afraid of the water?'

'I'm not afraid of water.'

'What then?'

Jack clutched his arms around his knees. 'I'm... I'm afraid of drowning.'

Tooth gave him a reassuring smile. 'Oh little sweet tooth, you don't have to worry about drowning, we're immortal. We don't die that easily.'

Still... he feared the pain. 'But it hurts.' It was nothing more than a whisper, but loud enough to be heard by the others.

The guardians looked each other in the eyes before Bunny knelt down and grabbed the Winter spirit by the shoulders, but Jack didn't dare look the older guardian in the eyes. He didn't want to look weak. 'How do you know that?'

'I... do you guys know how I became a spirit?' He whispered.

Confusion spread through their eyes. 'What does that have to do with this?' It was Tooth's soft voice as she tried to look him in the eyes, the same as Bunny, but he didn't give in.

Jack pulled his knees closer to his chest. 'I fear to drown because... because I almost died befo-... No, I _died_ before I became Jack Frost, I drowned in cold water, the same coldness that now spread through my veins... Manny brought me back to life as Jack Frost.' He fell silent as the others just looked at him with shocked eyes and he let his head fall on his knees, silent tears falling from his ice blue eyes.

Bunny was the first one to move, his paws tightened themselves around the boy's skinny shoulders as he let out a soft growl. Jack finally looked up, meeting the rabbit's eyes and a slight gasp left his lips. He had expected there to be laughter, but instead Bunnymund's eyes were filled with guilt and remorse. 'Oh Snowflake.' Bunny mumbled before he pulled the younger guardian against his furry chest. Holding him in a tight and warm grip.

The other guardians joined them, embracing their fellow guardians with Jack in their middle. North brushed one of Jack's tears away as he looked at his friend with his big blue eyes. 'We won't let anything like that happen to you again, we're your family and we will protect you.' The winter spirit looked at him before turning to Sandy, who nodded, and eventually to Tooth who smiled at him.

'Yes mate.' Bunny spoke and Jack fingers tangled themselves in the grey fur. He let out a soft noise, which was a mix of both sadness and happiness, he finally felt the warmth, even through his own coldness. The warmth of his friends, his family. 'We will always be there for you, you're our brother.'

'Thank you... thank you so much.' Jack said to them, to his very own family.


End file.
